Sunday, January 15, 2017

Any Final Thoughts to Sister Convinced of Zombie Apocalypse

A person faces his apocalypse

A sister faces zombie apocalypse

Any Final Thoughts (sonnet)
My world is so much different today
One problem I thought slit from my life now
Comes back to take its last sarcastic bow
The courage I had then has skulked away
-
It seemed inconsequential in its time
That simple ending did not pulse from fun
It oozed in hatred long before begun
Where now that soul left feeling so sublime
-
Amidst the tentacles of fear I’m held
With terror shouting horrors through my head
Still echoes there the last words that she said
That from God’s world I too will be expelled
-
To thee oh Lord my final prayer I send
For through these doors I go to meet my…

A person faces his own doom in this sonnet. I have decided not to call this a Shakespearean sonnet for the combination of two reasons. First, it has nothing directly to do with love. Secondly. though heavily hinted at, the rhyming couplet doesn't rhyme. Notice as the sonnet progresses confusion and evil get stronger, until in the end they win.

The day began and Arlene and I had planned to spend the day together. The day before I had performed in the third degree for the Masons in Vallejo. At 8:00 in the morning sharp the phone calls started. During the performance of the degree my mentor changed the word "Ethiopia" to "Vallejo". Because of the character he was playing, the context of the word and the heavy Filipino community of the section of Vallejo we were in, this word change was taken as a serious insult to the Lodge and the community it served. Being his student and very influential in the Lodge, I got phone call after angry phone call. Instead of spending time with Arlene, I was fielding the behavior of my mentor.

When the phone calls let up I went to Arlene to tell her what was going on. I found her unconscious on the bathroom floor. After trying unsuccessfully to wake her, I called 911 and her mother. When emergency came, I lost clarity. I went into automatic mode, but what actually was going on was a fog. Because Arlene's mother was a registered nurse, she was allowed to stay with her daughter through all attempts to revive her. Arlene died that evening. It was unreal. What do I do? What do I say? For months I had someone staying with me, making certain that I was as alright as I could be and being there. If it wasn't for my family, friends and associates I would have been like the person in the sonnet.

Such is life. One foolish word led to a flood of angry phone calls preventing me from being by Arlene's side. One word caused so much anger. One word (a word!) may have led to a person's death. A death that would make everyone forget about (overshadow) "the word". Little things can have major effect on life. Such as a smile. Do not underestimate our smallest acts. I am not suggesting that we freeze up fearing that something we do will have a negative effect. I am just trying to illustrate that one thing leads to another. But we already knew that. We all want a world of perfect peace. (At least most of us do.) How do we get there? I am just one person. Even the smallest act. Enjoy,

A haunting song for a haunting sonnet: Elliot Goldenthal "Libera Me"

What are brothers for - Zombie attacks

It is believed that the modern conceptions of zombies originally began with voodoo religion in the West African Yorubi tribe and then traveled with captured slaves to the Caribbean island of Haiti, a busy slave center in the 1700s. Millicent's conception of zombies came from her three brother after a dentist visit.

Hello, I get kind of sad after reading this poem. Then to read about Arlene dying, it is really sad. We never know how or when we might die, I would like to leave this world happy and not angry. Enjoy your day!

This is so sad Martin. But its life. It never ends the way we want it too. There is always that regret or that one more thing we wanted to say. I dread the day I will ever have to face such heart ache.Lisa

Connections are tricky things. We may not see them at the time. Sometimes we don't see them for years. And they are often beyond our power to alter.I am glad that you stayed in the moment when Arleen needed you (to call emergency and her mother). And not surprised that you shut down in the aftermath. And very glad that you had the support you needed to come out of that dark valley of despair.

Martin, I am teary eyed, to lose your precious love amidst chaos. One word changed events of the day. I am glad you and Arlene lived so many wonderful days and nights. This is also a reminder to live the moments as they come as we never know when they will be gone.

Oh my goodness, Martin, I have been enjoying yours and Arlene's love story so much, I feel shocked and bereft to read of her passing. I am so sorry. Even sorrier that those phone calls occurred when they did. How very hard. I am a bit in shock, as you write your story together with such life, I had no idea these were memories. I now want to re-read.........